After being based at Ninian Park for the previous 99 years, in 2009 the team played its first game at the 28,000 capacity Cardiff City Stadium, a perfect example of a state-of-the-art sporting environment where life safety is a top priority.
After being based at Ninian Park for the previous 99 years, in 2009 the team played its first game at the 28,000 capacity Cardiff City Stadium, a perfect example of a state-of-the-art sporting environment where life safety is a top priority.
The second largest stadium in Wales after the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff City Stadium was built on the site of the former Cardiff Athletics Stadium. Tiger Fire & Security Limited was approached by the project's electrical contractor, NG Bailey, at the planning stages of the development to provide its expertise in designing and installing the life safety infrastructure at the ground and work began in 2007.
Gareth Pezzack is Tiger Fire and Security's Managing Director and explains,
‘We became involved at design and concept stage for both the fire detection and combined public address/voice alarm (PA/VA) systems. Our level of input was considerable and we advised on the fire standards that had to be adhered to, including The Green Guide (Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds) and other relevant British Standards for the Fire, PA/VA and Disabled Refuge Systems.
The Green Guide is a government funded guidance book on spectator safety at sports grounds. It was created in the aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster and provides detailed guidance to ground management design in respect to increasing safety at sports grounds and stadiums, including how many spectators can be safely accommodated within a sports ground.
As a modern stadium with very strong design values, aesthetics were a key consideration. Gareth says,
‘Although they are a functional part of the building's infrastructure, Hochiki's fire detection products have the added bonus of looking good. In modern buildings this is an important quality.'
Wayne Nash, Stadium Manager at Cardiff City added:
‘With so many people in such a relatively small space, accessibility is very important and compliance with the guidelines as set out in the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) is a definite must for us. We have to consider the needs of people of all abilities and so we made sure that all the areas have the requisite number of beacons and beacon/sounders in order to comply.'
